H.B. No. 587         AN ACT   relating to the incineration of a United States flag or Texas state   flag through the cremation process at the request of any person.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 716.001, Health and Safety Code, is   amended by adding Subdivisions (10-a) and (16) to read as follows:                (10-a)  "First responder" has the meaning assigned by   Section 421.095, Government Code.                (16)  "Veteran" means an individual who:                      (A)  has served in:                            (i)  the army, navy, air force, coast guard,   or marine corps of the United States;                            (ii)  the state military forces as defined   by Section 431.001, Government Code; or                            (iii)  an auxiliary service of one of those   branches of the armed forces; and                      (B)  has been honorably discharged from the branch   of the service in which the individual served.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 716, Health and Safety   Code, is amended by adding Section 716.157 to read as follows:          Sec. 716.157.  INCINERATION OF UNITED STATES FLAG OR STATE   FLAG THROUGH CREMATION PROCESS. (a) A crematory establishment may   incinerate through the cremation process and separately from human   remains one or more United States flags or state flags at the   request of any person, including a family member of a deceased   veteran, deceased first responder, or deceased spouse or child of a   veteran or first responder for the purpose of spreading the ashes on   the grave or memorial site of the veteran, first responder, spouse,   or child. A crematory establishment may only incinerate a flag   during the week preceding and the week after the following national   holidays:                (1)  Memorial Day;                (2)  Flag Day; and                (3)  Independence Day.          (b)  The commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement   this section. The rules must:                (1)  establish guidelines on:                      (A)  crematory sanitation;                      (B)  the release of ashes from an incinerated   United States flag or state flag to the person who requested   incineration of the flag; and                      (C)  the disposal of ashes from an incinerated   flag; and                (2)  ensure that incineration of the flag is in   accordance with 4 U.S.C. Section 8 and Chapter 3100, Government   Code, as applicable.          SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act, the Texas Funeral Service Commission shall adopt rules   necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.       ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                   I certify that H.B. No. 587 was passed by the House on April   18, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 148, Nays 0, 1 present, not   voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.   No. 587 on May 17, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 140, Nays 5, 1   present, not voting.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House               I certify that H.B. No. 587 was passed by the Senate, with   amendments, on May 15, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays   0.     ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate      APPROVED: __________________                   Date                       __________________                 Governor